The Humane Society of the United States is against declawing. Read their statement

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Please watch this. It is not showing blood and guts. It is a calm, factual discussion.



Please also read what the Animal Protection Institute says:

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Eclipse wrote:

I feel most members here seem completely one-sided and judgmental on the issue.

How could anyone knowing the actual, truths about amputating the ends of any animal's toes, and being completely horrified and appalled by it, have any other side but being against it and not have a judgmental feeling about it?!? To me it is so abolutely a horrific and reprehensible thing to do an animal. It fills me with extremely upset feelings to even think of any cat being maimed.

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but at the same time it can't be ignored that there are many people out there who have this operation done. A handful of people whom I personally know and have been trying to talk me into doing this surgery because they had no problems

I am sure you heard the expression, "Two wrongs don't make a right". Just because you know people who had the ends of their cat's toes amputated, and something that is illegal in most countries of the world and one city in California, it does not then mean it should be fine for you to do it to Kilalah.

In addition, you MUST read the possible complications again. It is great that those cats of the people you know did not have complications. But some cats do get complications. Kilalah could possibly be one that does get complications. You can't know if it will happen until it does. Then it is too late.

You might want to get more opinions at other forums. Ask on

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Thank you very much for your responses and comments on this topic. It has actually taken me until tonight to check the forum again because I was just so unsure of how people would react. Mark, Maria and Michelle, your words mean the world to me. Thank you for not making me feel alienated.

To be perfectly honest, I am still debating halting on the decision to declaw for awhile. I just, can't make up my mind at this point. The main pressure I'm feeling, is that I have the appointment set up to include this operation, and it would mean Kilalah only has to be put under one time. I really do think speaking with the vet will help too. It is the same vet that we took Sugar and Chocolate to growing up, and also that we had put them to sleep when they were just too old and ill to continue. (my precious shih tzus and the loves of my life in the animal world)

Anyway, I am taking a half day at work tomorrow so I can be home in time for Kilalah's examination. I will try to sign on tomorrow night, but I can't promise anything. I haven't seen my family in quite some time so I'm looking forward to seeing them, and spending time with Kilalah before Thursday morning. I'll for sure be back by Sunday and will undoubtedly give an update with results and the final decision.

Thank you again for all the great advice and the information.

Kate, we can give lots of tips for dealing with kittens and their claws. I have 7 cats, none are declawed, and they don't tear up my furniture. The other cats we had were not declawed. When we had kittens, yes, they do explore EVERYTHING! They do test out what they are able to do. And that includes trying to climb curtains. But, they grow out of that. Once they know what their bodies can and cannot do, they are not so interested in doing some things just to see if they can, because they then know that they can! Been there, done that, boring now.

Yes, sometimes you do get claws dug into your stomach or thigh when a cat your are holding or who is sitting on your lap gets suddenly spooked and pushes off hard to run away in terror. But, that is not something that happens very often. Plus, as the kitten gets more used to sudden noises, such as the phone or doorbell ringing, the sound of a very loud truck rumbling by outside, etc., they don't freak out like they did before they were very used to such noises.

You can train cats. You can do many other things beside cutting off the ends of Kilalah's toes.

You don't need to feel pressure to cancel the declaw part of the surgery. Kilalah still will be spayed, so they will still get money out of you. Don't you know that in America declawing is often pushed to be done by vets because it is a fast, easy way for them to make money? Do remember that most of the rest of the world is against declawing, and it is ILLEGAL.

When you talk to the vet, be sure to get a full, complete, minute description of the surgery. Ask to see pictures or a diagram of exactly what gets cut off. I'd even ask to be able to watch. Many vets do not tell people the actual, true details. They don't, because they know that if they did, most all people would never then have it done to their cat!

Read all the links I posted again, very carefully. Read the links in those links to more information. You need to totally and fully aware in a calm, rational, non-emotional way of all the details, of ALL the things you can do instead, of why declawing is bad for cats.

And remember, we who have had kittens can give you help and tips for dealing with them and their claws. Make new threads about specific things.

I just want to say thank you for all the advice and comments.

I continued to listen to everything that was said, and did some more research of my own. With the advancements and benefits that laser operations have to offer, I did go forward with the frontal declaw on Kilalah.

She is doing amazing. Our puppy Macki got his hair cut the same day Kilalah had both her surgeries, and I was able to see her hours after her operation. I could not believe how fine she seemed. She was a little uncomfortable, but not unlike she is any other time at the vet.

I picked her up the next afternoon around 3:00pm, with no bandages, and all she wanted to do was play. I was sure to keep her in my old bedroom while visiting my parents, and well away from the puppy, but honestly...you never could have guessed she just had two major operations!

The vets gave me yesterday's news litter, compliments on them, and then I paid for four doses of Metacam, (a .17mL dose to be given once daily, that they premeasured out in four separate suringes) and 10 days' worth of Clavamax to give Kilalah as preventative measures against any infection.

I do catch Kilalah licking her paws a few times in a day, but other then that, she's jumping and running, just like normal. It almost makes me flinch when I see her about ready to jump down, but when she lands and keeps walking/running, I breathe a sigh of relief. (I only let her run freely right now when I'm home. She stays in my bathroom during the day, just for a couple more days, to ensure she's staying quiet and getting her needed rest.)

As much as most of you will hate to have heard that I went through with this, I just had to give you all updates because I said I would, and because you do deserve to know. I appreciate everyone's honesty, and as I've said before, I really hope you will accept my decision and not judge me by it.

I can now let Kilalah snuggle with me each night and not worry what she'll damage when she wakes up and it's not time for me to get up yet, and trust me, she does love snuggling, but it just has to be under the covers; on top does not suffice for her. That is just one thing that both of us will be able to enjoy together worry free.

Anyway, thank you again for all the support.

Kate, I'm glad Kilalah is doing so well... just know that she's licking her paws because they do hurt... cats hide pain very well because in the wild it would make them easy targets for predators. Muffin is in incredible pain with her tooth/gum issue to the point where she's losing weight becuase it hurts to eat - yet you don't notice a thing.

That being said, I hope Kilalah heals well and has no bleeding problems....sounds like she's going to be fine. Where did you get that name, by the way???? It sounds Hawaiian or something.....I've been meaning to ask you that for a while now and kept forgetting.

Please give that cute little furry Kilalah some kisses and scritches for me for being such a good girl. Also, keep an eye on those toes. I'm sure the vet told you what to watch for. I'm surprised she didn't have bandages.....

Kate,

This was ultimately your decision. Others can only give you all the information, then it's your choice. It's not a judgment call, and we all have to move on. I'm glad you're back.

You are most welcome here and I hope you will continue to post and join in the conversations in the forum. I only wish the best for you and Kilalah.

I hope Kilalah continues to heal quickly - and I look forward to hearing more about her.

Maria

I am so sorry you went ahead and had the ends of Kilalah's toes amputed. Of course, I do not accept your decision, knowing you knew all the facts of what declawing really is. No one who understands declawing to be an unnessessary, painful and cruel surgery causing life-long disadvantages to a cat should or could be expected to accept what you had done to Kilalah. I do judge you by it. People are judged by what they do. I am so disappointed with you.

If you were really getting at if you are still accepted to be part of this forum, yes, you are.

I am glad Kilalah seems fine so far. Since she is on pain medicine, she will not be hurting to the degree that she would without it. However, after you stop giving the pain meds, she will of course feel pain for quite some time, being that she had ten separate amputations after all. It will take weeks or months before all the pain, aching and tenderness goes away. I don't know if all the tenderness ever goes away.

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With the advancements and benefits that laser operations have to offer

That is only in regards to the method of doing the amputation. It doesn't change all the disadvantages to the cat afterwards, nor the pain.

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she does love snuggling, but it just has to be under the covers; on top does not suffice for her. That is just one thing that both of us will be able to enjoy together worry free.

Galen had been snuggling under the covers with me for 7 years, and he has all his claws. There is nothing to worry about. I always wear a night shirt, so if he kneads against me, his claws won't prick my skin. You would just have to not sleep naked.

Hi Kate:

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The vets gave me yesterday's news litter, compliments on them, and then I paid for four doses of Metacam, (a .17mL dose to be given once daily, that they premeasured out in four separate suringes) and 10 days' worth of Clavamax to give Kilalah as preventative measures against any infection

Regarding the metacam - did your vet give you an oral dosage or do you have to give it to your kitty by a shot?

I ask this because I have some experience with metacam. My vet prescribed it for Ranger while we were dealing with his FLUTD.

As part of my research, I discovered that ORAL metacam is not approved for cats. The approved dosage is one shot before surgery – and that is it.

My vet and I were giving Ranger once a week shots of metacam, and we were both very concerned that we were pushing the envelope. As there is a serious concern of kidney (and liver?) damage with prolonged or excessive metacam usage, we ran a full blood panel on him last December. Fortunately, his kidney and liver values were normal.

Please carefully watch your kitty for signs of kidney failure. Here is a link to Margaret’s website

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While I don’t want to alarm you, I’ll be honest. I’m much more concerned about the metacam than I am (was) about the declawing.

Info on Metacam – from its manufacturer:

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Dosage & Administration Administer a single, one-time subcutaneous dose of Metacam 5 mg/mL Solution for Injection to cats at a dose of 0.14 mg/lb (0.3 mg/kg) body weight. Use of additional meloxicam or other NSAIDs is contraindicated. To ensure accurate dosing, the use of a 1 mL graduated syringe is recommended.

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Warning Do not administer a second dose of meloxicam. Do not follow meloxicam dose with any other NSAID. When administering any NSAID, appropriate laboratory testing to establish hematological and serum biochemical baseline data is recommended prior to use in dogs and cats. All cats should undergo a thorough history and physical examination before administering meloxicam. Owner should be advised to observe their cats for signs of potential drug toxicity. Sub-Q use only. Do not use IV in cats.

Mark

Kilalah continues to get better and better everyday. There doesn't appear to be any complications. I also took her in to my vet here in Minneapolis on Monday after work, just for a check up on her toes and tummy. The vet gave her a clean bill of healing and we were on our way! Today she seems on a vengeance to play, play and play. I'm still trying to keep her as quiet as I can though and not encourage her. Fortunately, she'll pretty much cuddle on my chest whenever I want, so when I don't work the night shift in my apt building, I've been catching up on a lot of tv shows while she kitty naps under a blanket with me. Right now she's actually purring in my ear, laying lazily over my left shoulder. I wonder how long she'll be able to do that before she's too big.

Michelle - Kilalah thanks you for the kisses and scritches. She can never get enough of those! Kilalah does sound Hawaiian, and you're not the first one to point that out either! It's actually Japanese, and should be spelled Kirara. I kind of "Englishized" the spelling in hopes of helping with its pronunciation. In Japanese one of the word's meanings is Jewel.

Maria - Thank you for the kind wishes and the warm welcome despite the fact that I went through with the operation. That means alot.

Margaret - While I do appreciate all of the information you provided before Kilalah's surgeries, I have accepted that you absolutely have to try and make somebody feel as guilty as possible about having this operation done. I am sincerely sorry that I disappointed you so, but I have also accepted that we will disagree on many aspects of this issue; and I have chosen not to indulge in those disagreements in order to try and preserve what relationship we have in terms of this forum.

Mark - the dosage of Metacam was oral, and I gave Kilalah the last one Tuesday morning. That's very disturbing information about the affects it can have on the kidnies! Fortunately, her doses were quite small, and premeasured out so I wouldn't give her more than prescribed. I'm going to have to talk to my vet about that one though. That disturbs me if it's not approved yet. Thank you for sharing that!